Manufacturing news briefs – stories you might have missed

GPC Electronics expands at Penrith

Printed circuit board and electronic systems manufacturer GPC Electronics is expanding its capacity with a new latest technology surface mount technology (SMT) manufacturing line. A team from industrial machinery company Hawker Richardson and GPC engineers have been setting up the new machines (pictured) at its Penrith, Sydney factory since delivery. GPC said: “This new line will increase our capacity by 25 percent at our Penrith facility to meet the increase in demand from Australian and overseas customers.” GPC manufactures in Sydney, New Zealand and China.

Little Tuna entrepreneur takes out rural women’s award

Cairns tuna businesswoman Kate Lamason has been named Queensland’s 2024 AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award winner. Kate will receive a $15,000 Westpac grant and will represent Queensland at the national awards in August where she has the chance to win an additional Westpac grant. Lamason, who runs the Little Tuna fish bottling business with her husband in Cairns, was selected from a field of four finalists. Her products feature Australian tuna caught off the coast of Queensland using sustainable long line fishing methods. The other finalists were Burdekin senior secondary agricultural science teacher Louise Nicholas, Aussie Helpers CEO Natasha Kocks from Gladstone and Gloriously Free (GF) oats founder Kylie Hollonds.

Infrabuild reorganises its Mayfield site

Electric arc furnace-based long steel manufacturer and distribution business Infrabuild is continuing its reorganisation and modernisation of its Mayfield site in Newcastle, NSW. The company took to social media to report that its Newcastle Distribution Centre (NDC) had officially made the move from one part of the Mayfield site to a new position, at the heart of the site’s operations. “The NDC is now up and running from its new warehouse – with the move marking a significant milestone for InfraBuild as we continue to better utilise the space at the Mayfield site.” The company is demolishing the old distribution centre and constructing a new building to house the company’s steel mesh plant. “The first machine in the new Mesh plant will be operational by the start of 2025.”

MGA names new CEO

Thermal energy storage solutions company MGA Thermal has announced Mark Croudace as its new CEO. In a statement on Linkedin on Thursday, the company said Croudace has at the company since December 2021, initially Chief Commercial Officer and then as Deputy CEO. “Mark is a passionate & experienced leader who started his career as a Chemical Engineer and has added significant strategic, operational & global leadership capability across both public and private sector businesses,” the post reads. “He is also an active early-stage tech investor having helped numerous fast growth business succeed. Mark has [led] the commercialisation and capital raise efforts of MGA Thermal.” Co-founder and former CEO Dr Erich Kisi will now focus “on innovating, developing, and improving the next generation of Thermal Energy Storage in his new position as Chief Scientist.”

Memphasys appoints new non-executive director

Reproductive biotechnology company Memphasys has announced the appointment of Michael Atkins as an independent non-executive director, effective immediately. “I have been a shareholder of Memphasys for many years and I welcome the opportunity to work with the board and executive as they continue to execute the company’s commercialisation plans,” said Atkins in a statement on Thursday. “I genuinely believe the commercial opportunity for Memphasys, across its portfolio, will rapidly advance in 2024 (and beyond) and am excited to play a role in that activity.” Atkins is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Western Australia.

Kanyini satellite successfully completes critical testing milestone 

The Adelaide-built Kanyini has achieved another milestone with the successful completion of environmental stress screening (ESS) ahead of a planned mid-2024 launch. The critical ESS testing was conducted at the Advanced Instrumentation and Technology Centre at the Australian National University in Canberra, the team behind it announced on Thursday, adding that this verifies the satellite’s ability to withstand the rigours of space by exposing it to the conditions it is expected to encounter. The two-week trials included exposing Kanyini to extreme temperature variations, intense vibrations, and crushing vacuum conditions. Kanyini is a collaboration between the South Australian government, the SmartSat Cooperative Research Centre as mission lead, Adelaide-based commercial satellite manufacturer Inovor Technologies, and global IoT provider Myriota. It will be launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, USA, aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-11 mission. 

Picture: GPC Electronics